Page 52 of Nolan (The Doherty Mafia)
Aldo was about to say something but he looked over my shoulder. I knew there was someone behind me, but before I’d turned to do anything, a shot was fired. I whipped around to find Tristan standing behind me, just a foot away. His gun was still pointed to where Aldo had been standing, he was laying on the ground now. Dead.
“I had to kill him for Elsie,” Tristan said.
Twenty-Seven
Amelia
I had a million questions for Reese and thankfully, she was happy to answer them all. I wanted to know everything she could tell me about our mother.
“Sorry, I don’t want to bring back any bad memories for you,” I remarked. Reese blinked her tears away and shook her head.
“No, this is good. This is therapeutic. I don’t mind talking about her…about the way she used to be before she allowed Aldo to take over her life.”
“I just can’t believe I have a sister! That I’ve had a sister all this time.”
She pulled me in for a hug again. All these years, I had no idea I had a family. I had a sister. I didn’t have to feel so alone anymore.
“And I’m just glad I found you. We found each other…despite Aldo.”
“What do you think is going to happen tonight?” I asked.
Reese shrugged. “I have a good feeling about tonight. They’re going to find him, then they’re going to kill him. This war has to end before our baby is born so we can all feel safer. I think it’s going to happen tonight.”
“I feel like an idiot for trusting Aldo, for following his plan. I was so close to betraying Nolan. I wouldn’t have been able to forgive myself if I did, after what Aldo did to everybody, especially our mother.”
“But you changed your mind. You had a choice and you chose not to betray him. That says more about you and your loyalty to him than anything else.”
“But I don’t think he sees it that way.”
I had to look away because once again, my eyes were filled with tears and they embarrassed me.
“I’m usually stronger than this,” I mumbled with a nervous chuckle while I wiped my cheeks.
Reese patted my knee.
“It’s okay to feel things, honey. Do you know how you feel about Nolan?”
I looked up at her while my nostrils flared. My lips quivered. If I admitted the truth to her I’d never be able to take it back. It would be out there.
“I am in love with him,” I said.
Reese’s eyes brightened and she smiled widely at me.
“Trust me, I know how it feels to fall for a Doherty man. It’s not a walk in the rose garden. They’re complicated and things get messed up, but no man loves like them either. No man can keep you safe the way they can. I bet you feel it in your heart too, he’s the one.”
I nodded. “But it doesn’t matter how I feel. Nolan is never going to trust me. He thinks I’ve ruined his role in the family because I trapped him. He blames me for everything.”
“But if he loves you the way you love him, then none of that matters. You’re the girl he’s going to come back to.”
We heard footsteps outside the apartment right then and the door burst open. Nolan and Killian strode in and seeing him again was enough to knock the wind out of me.
Killian ran to Reese and pulled her into a passionate embrace. Watching them together while they hugged and kissed warmed my soul. Even though I had just found out that Reese was my sister, I felt strangely but deeply connected to her. I was glad to know she was happy now. That she’d been able to escape the clutches of Aldo and make a happy life for herself.
Also, the reason I stared at Killian and Reese together was because I couldn’t bring myself to look at the only other person in the room.
Nolan hadn’t said a word to me yet. He hadn’t even made a move towards me. He watched Killian and Reese too. Something told me he hadn’t yet decided what he’d do with me.
“What happened? Did you get him? Killian, please tell me you got him,” Reese asked her husband.
Killian stroked her hair and held her close to his chest.
“Yeah, we got him. It’s over. We don’t have to think about him anymore,” he replied.
“You got him? What does that mean?” I asked.
I blurted the words out before I stopped myself.
They all turned to stare at me now. I felt Nolan’s deep green eyes on me too. My cheeks burned. I needed to know what happened.
“He’s dead,” Killian replied.
It’d become clear to me now that Nolan wasn’t going to speak to me.
Reese cried out with relief when she heard that and hugged Killian tighter.
“He’s dead? Aldo’s dead?” I spoke in a hollow voice. I felt dazed, not able to process the information fully. “My father is dead…”
